Fencing-tool



(No Model.)

L. B. MATSON.

' FENUING TOOL.

No. 551,980. 'Patented Dec. '24, 1 95.

mewfioi f 03. my 06km w vtmeoooo .PHOTO-UTNQ WASHINGTDN D C U ITED STATES LEWIS B. MATSON, OF

PATENT OFFICE.

OATLIN, NE\V YORK.

FENCING-TOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 551,980, dated December 24, 1895.

Application filed anuary 9, l8 9 5.

T aZZ wham it may concern.-

- form part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in fencingtoo1s; and it consists in the construction and combination of parts which will be fully described hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a self-supporting fencing-tool constructed to stretch and cut the wire and to hold the same while it is being spliced, and provided with means for pulling the staples, whereby the tool may be operated by a single person, the wire and the tool held in that position by means of a suitable hook or retainer, while the operator drives the staple in the post upon whichthe wire is stretched or as many other posts as may be desired.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my implement, showing the same in use. Fig.' 2 is a similar view of the glamping and cutting lever detached thererom.

A indicates a lever having at one end the longitudinal slot B, into which the wire is passed, as shown, to the upper end thereof when it is to be stretched. A clamping-lever O is intermediately pivoted just inside of the inner end of this slot B, and has its outer end D provided near its pivotal point with the notch E and its extremity provided with a shearing or cutting edge F. The wire to be stretched is passed through this slot B to its upper end and the clamping-lever O is moved into the position shown in Fig. 1, the springcatch or other holding device G engaging the said lever to prevent it from moving back. In this position the lever causes a kink or bend in the wire without mutilating or cutting it, but at the same time taking a firm hold on the same to prevent it from slipping.

At the upper end of this slot B is a plate H,

Serial No. 534,371. (No model.)

preferably of metal, and this plate has its ends slotted to extend on each side of the upper end of the slot, and also extending beyond the inner end of the slot, and forming substantially a pivotal bearing for the clamping-lever O. This plate H strengthens the lever and at the same time forms a shearingedge to coact with the shearing-edge of the lever C for the purpose of cutting wire, as will be readily understood. A hook I is pivoted to the lever and has intermediate its ends a head or hammering portion J.

In operation the wire to be stretched is passed through the slot B to its upper end and the lever O drawn upward as shown in Fig. 2 until the latch or other retainer G springs outward to hold the lever against returning, in which position a kink or bend is caused in the wire, as before stated, to hold the same against slipping. The slotted end of the lever A is then placed against the post and drawn around as shown in Fig. 1 until the wire is suiiiciently tight, and the hook Iis' driven into the post with the long end of the leverslightly downward,so as preferably to incline the lever upward. The hook being driven into the post the lever is then self-supporting, and the stretched wire cannot slip or slacken, thus leaving the operator to drive the staple in the post around which it is stretched and in as many other posts as the wire has been stretched across.

From this description it will be seen that I have a self-supporting stretcher which can be operated by a single person, the wire first being stretched, the supporter being supported in the manner just described, and then the operator driving in the staples.

A splicer of any size and description can be used for splicing the ends of the wire by lapping the ends and passing them in the slotB of the lever A and then holding the same by the clamping-lever as when stretching the wire. When in this position a suitable splicing implement may be used, preferably using a piece of metal with one or more holes in the same, which is a common expedient for that purpose. v

The clamping-lever C is provided on its inner side with a groove or recess a in which the wire to be clamped passes, whereby the IOCI same is not cut or mutilated but a kink made therein to prevent its slipping by engagement with one edge of the slotted plate.

The hook serves as a staple extractor by inserting its pointed end through the staple and then hammering upon its head, as will be readily understood.

I have described the cutting-edge of the clamping-lever beyond or outside of its pivotal point, but it will be readily understood that this may be reversed and the cuttingedge put inside of the pivotal point without departing from the spirit of my invention. So also I wish it noted that the cutter may be entirely omitted, thus reducing very materially the expense of the implement by avoiding the necessity of making the clamping-lever and slotted plate of such a quality of metal as is necessary to provide a good shearing or cutting edge.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A wire stretcher consisting of aleverhaving a slot B formed therein and extending from its outer end to receive a transversely extending wire, and a clamping lever intermediately pivoted to said lever and adapted to move across the said slot and hold the wire, substantially as shown.

.2. A wire stretcher having a longitudinal slot extending from its outer end, a clamping lever having a notch on its inner face for the passage of the wire, and pivoted adjacent to the slot, and a shearing or cutting edge outside of the said notch or recess, the parts adapted to operate as described.

3. A wire stretcher comprising a lever having a longitudinal slot at its outer end, a plate having a slot at one end and secured to the said lever with the slot registering with the slot in the lever, a clamping lever pivoted to the inner end of the said slotted plate, the said clamping lever adapted to engage the wire for holding the same, and provided with a shearing or cutting edge which co-acts with the edge of the said slotted plate, substantially as specified.

4. A wire stretching lever having an open longitudinal slot in the outer end of its body portion, and a clamping lever pivoted just beyond the inner end of said slot and moving across it.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature iii-presence of two witnesses.

LEWIS B. MATSON. Vitnesses:

LEW SMITH, VENICY M. BARLOVV. 

